Democrats target TV station over labor dispute

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The five Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls in Maine have pledged to withhold their advertising from a Portland TV station involved in a labor dispute.

Matthew Beck from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers tells the Kennebec Journal that 40 union engineers and technicians at WGME-TV have been working since February without a contract.

The union-led boycott applies to five candidates for governor — Pat McGowan, Libby Mitchell, John Richardson, Steve Rowe and Rosa Scarcelli, as well as organizations that support them.

WGME-TV News Director Robb Atkinson says none of the candidates contacted the station to get its side of the story. He told WGAN news radio that the candidates’ actions will hurt both the station and its employees.